Box-clamping machine



lPatente .ASH

Mn/asses I my improved machine.

improvements in box-clamping machines; and

UNITED STATES ARTHUR A. FUCHS,

PATENT OEEioE.

OF TIFFIN, OHIO.

BOX-CLAM PING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 468,094, dated February 2, 1892.

Application filed February 26, 1891. Serial No. 382,970. (No model.)

To all whom it, may concern:

Beit known th'at I, ARTHUR A. F UCHS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tifiin, in the county of Seneca and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Box-Clamping Machines, of which thefollowingisaspecification,referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful the invention relates to a machine adapted to clamp the corners of a box in the process of manufacture and to tightly seat the tenons upon one side of the box in the mortise upon the other side of the box, whereby a perfect joint is formed.

The invention consists in the peculiar construction of the box-clamping jaws; further, in means for simultaneously actuating the jaws at each corner of the box; further, in the peculiar construction of the various parts, whereby the adjustment to various sizes of boxes is obtained in the simplest and most expeditious manner without disturbing the actuating mechanism, and, further, in the peculiar construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts, all as more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings which accompany this specification, Figure l is a front elevation of Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a top plan view. Fig. t is a horizontal section through one of the clamps. Fig. 5 is a vertical central crosssection through the machine on line :n in Fig. 3, and Figs. G and 7 are perspective views of the box before and after the clamping operation.

A is the frame of the machine.

B is the top forming the work-table. Upon this table are two parallel clamp-holding bars C C'. One or both of these bars are adjustably secured. In the drawings I have shown both bars provided with clamping-bolts D, having their heads engaging in suitable correspondingly-shaped apertures in the table and provided with clamping-nuts D', whereby the bars may be adjusted to or from each other. Each bar is provided with a longitudinal guide-groove on its inner face, in which are slidingly and adj ustably secured clamping-jaws.

blocks E. The bars are also provided with `horizontal apertures in rear of the blocks E, the blocks being provided with corresponding apertures, through which the actuatinglevers G of the clamping-jaws II extend. These clamping jaws are pivoted upon a common pivot I, secured on the inner side of the block E. `The actuating-levers G are arranged one above the other and are of suitable shape to allow of connecting them from a common point of actuation and to actuate them in opposite directions, so that they will clamp the opposite sides of the corner of the box.

The jaws are provided with theheads J, the heads of each bar being arranged at right angles to each other and with a notch or recess K a slight distance in from the head to receive the extension of the tenons without danger of their irnpinging against the clamping-head, as plainly shown in Fig. Li. These jaws are actuated through the following mechanism: Upon each side of the machine, at the end of the cross-bars and journaled in suitable boxes thereon, are two rock-shafts L L. Upon these rock-shafts are secured the rock-arms M, extending to both sides thereof. Pivotally secured to the ends of each arm M are the connecting-rods N N', connected, respectively, to the actuating-levers G of the These connecting-rods are made adjustable in length by means of suitable nuts O upon either side of the actuatinglevers G. The shafts L L' on either side of the machine are rocked by means of the 1evers P P', secured thereto and extended toward each other at one end of the machine, where they are connected to the vertical connecting rods U, which in turn are connected to the cross-head Q', secured at one end of the lever Q", which is pivoted at the other end of the machine at Q3. This lever is raised and lowered by means of the cam R upon the shaft R'. This cam engages with the wear-block R2 upon the under side of the lever and :is of suitable shape to cause the lever to rise and fall as the cam rotates.

Motion is transmitted to the shaft R', upon which the cam is secured, through the medium of the gear-wheel S upon that shaft meshing with the pinion S' upon the shaft S2, which is driven from any suitable source of power transmitted to the pulley S3.

IOO

It is evident from the description of the parts thus given that the sliding blocks E, carrying the clamping-jaws, may be adj usted Vto and from each other (suitable adjustment being made upon the connecting-rods N N at the same time) so as to accommodate any length of box. By adjusting the bars C to or from each other the jaws may be adjusted to different widths of boxes. It desired, suitable means-such as set-screws-may be provided to hold the blocks E securely in place; but it is not deemed necessary, as the connecting-rods N N' and the opposite movement ot' the actuating-levers G against the box-corners is thought to be sulicient for this purpose. In adjusting these bars the connecting-rods N N must also be correspondingly adjusted along the shafts, and this is done bymeans of the set-screws T, by means of which the crosslbars M are secured to the shafts L L. The parts having been properly adjusted to receive a box of given size, a box is placed upon the table with a corner between each pair lof jaws, and motion being imparted to the mechanism in the manner described each side of the box is clamped near the corner, forcing the tenons to seat themselves in the mortises of the adjacent side, the'pressure being regulated by means of the adjustment described, so that no damage will be done to the sides of the box. The jaws will beV again separated as the cam R turns and also allow the insertion of a new box. To prevent any damage to the parts by the downward movement of the cross-head Q', I place an elastic cushion U' between that cross-head and the nut V2 on the lower end of the connecting-rod U, as plainly shown in Fig. rl. Above the cross-head on the rod U is placed a binding-nut V3, which prevents the lever from moving up on the rod, as plainly shown in Fig. 5.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a box-clamping machine, the combination of the frame, a series of sliding blocks in the frame, clamping devices on the blocks,

consisting of two or more pivoted jaws having extensions on their outer ends, rock-shafts for engaging the extensions to move the jaws in opposite directions, and means tor rocking the shafts, substantially as described.

2. In a box-clamping machine, the combination, with the frame, of two or more pivoted jaws having extensions at their outer ends, rock shafts on opposite sides of the frame, connections between the rock-shafts and the extensions on the jaws, and actuating means for the rock-shafts, substantially as described.

8. In a box-clamping machine, the combination of thef-raine, a series of sliding blocks in the frame, clamping devices on the blocks, consisting of two or more pivoted jaws having extensions on their outer ends, rock-shafts on the opposite sides ot the frame, rock-arms M on the rock-shafts, connections betweenw the rock-arms M and the extensions on the jaws, and means for actuating the rook-shafts, sub stantially as described. A

, 4. In a box-clamping machine, the combination ot" the frame, a series of sliding blocks in the frame, clamping devices on the blocks, consisting of two or more pivoted jaws having extensions on their outer ends, rock-shafts on the opposite sides of the frame, rock-arms M, slidingly secured on the rock-shafts, connections between the rock-arms M and the exten-4 sions on the jaws, and means for actuating the rock-shafts, substantially as described.

5. In a box-clamping machine, the combination of the drive-shaft, the shaft R', the cam R, the lever Q", the cross-head Q', the rockarms P, rock-shafts L L', the rock-arms M,

v connected to said rock-shafts, and the jaws actuated thereby, substantially as described. In testimony whereof I attix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR A. FUCHS. Witnesses:

GRACE BREWER, N. L; BREWER. 

